Elvis Costello — National Ransom
Album: National RansomAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 55
Length: 4:01
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Runnin' pell-mell and harum-scarum
Runnin' as hot as they do or dare
Stick out your tongue and drink down all the venom
Off Cut-Throat Cuthbert and Millicent St.Cy
From the real old Macau
To the new False Americas
In the liberated territories
Unusual suspects shake down
Shake down, shake down
Various dubious characters
Mother's in the kitchen pickin' bones for breakfast
Boilin' them down by the bushel and the score
Pull out your thumb and count what's left on your fist
There's a wolf at the window with a ravenin' maw
Did you find how to lie?
Did you find out how to cheat?
The elite bleat, they're obsolete
So are your prospects
Exact, perfect object?
Now if you'd only genuflect
They're runnin' wild just like some
Childish tantrum
Meanwhile we're workin' every day
Payin' off the National Ransom
Woe betide all this hocus-pocus
They're runnin' us ragged at their first attempt
Around the time the killin' stopped on Wall St.
You couldn't hold me, baby, with anythin' but contempt
Letters peal slowly from our speech
The Claxton attempts to preach
Stretchin' out for stars still out of reach
Drownin', flailin', outside
Someone's wailin'
They're runnin' wild just like some
Childish tantrum
Meanwhile we're workin' every day
Payin' off the National Ransom
They're runnin' wild just like some
Childish tantrum
Meanwhile we're workin' every day
Payin' off the National Ransom
Runnin' as hot as they do or dare
Stick out your tongue and drink down all the venom
Off Cut-Throat Cuthbert and Millicent St.Cy
From the real old Macau
To the new False Americas
In the liberated territories
Unusual suspects shake down
Shake down, shake down
Various dubious characters
Mother's in the kitchen pickin' bones for breakfast
Boilin' them down by the bushel and the score
Pull out your thumb and count what's left on your fist
There's a wolf at the window with a ravenin' maw
Did you find how to lie?
Did you find out how to cheat?
The elite bleat, they're obsolete
So are your prospects
Exact, perfect object?
Now if you'd only genuflect
They're runnin' wild just like some
Childish tantrum
Meanwhile we're workin' every day
Payin' off the National Ransom
Woe betide all this hocus-pocus
They're runnin' us ragged at their first attempt
Around the time the killin' stopped on Wall St.
You couldn't hold me, baby, with anythin' but contempt
Letters peal slowly from our speech
The Claxton attempts to preach
Stretchin' out for stars still out of reach
Drownin', flailin', outside
Someone's wailin'
They're runnin' wild just like some
Childish tantrum
Meanwhile we're workin' every day
Payin' off the National Ransom
They're runnin' wild just like some
Childish tantrum
Meanwhile we're workin' every day
Payin' off the National Ransom
Comments (13)add comment
Meh, he's still an ego-maniacal douche.
snitramc wrote:
Sort of funny you're following a Ray Charles song with an Elvis Costello song.
Considering Elvis called Ray a "blind, ignorant nigger".
But I guess that's DeClan MacManus. He's certainly no stranger to conflict.
Considering Elvis called Ray a "blind, ignorant nigger".
But I guess that's DeClan MacManus. He's certainly no stranger to conflict.
That's not quite fair. Elvis apologized and Ray forgave him. From Wikipedia:
Costello's standing in the U.S. was bruised for a time when in March 1979,during a drunken argument with Stephen Stills and Bonnie Bramlett in a Columbus, Ohio Holiday Inn bar, the singer referred to James Brown as a"jive-ass nigger", then upped the ante by pronouncing Ray Charles a"blind, ignorant, nigger". Costello apologised at a New York City press conference a few days later, claiming that he had been drunk and had been attempting to be obnoxious in order to bring the conversation to a swift conclusion, not anticipating that Bramlett would bring his comments to the press. According to Costello, "it became necessary for me to outrage these people with about the most obnoxious and offensive remarks that I could muster." In his liner notes for the expanded version of Get Happy!!, Costello writes that some time after the incident he had declined an offer to meet Charles out of guilt and embarrassment, though Charles himself had forgiven Costello saying "Drunken talk isn't meant to be printed in the paper." Costello worked extensively in Britain's /Rock Against Racism campaign both before and after the incident. The incident inspired his Get Happy!! song "Riot Act" .
Sort of funny you're following a Ray Charles song with an Elvis Costello song.
Considering Elvis called Ray a "blind, ignorant nigger".
But I guess that's DeClan MacManus. He's certainly no stranger to conflict.
Considering Elvis called Ray a "blind, ignorant nigger".
But I guess that's DeClan MacManus. He's certainly no stranger to conflict.
peter_james_bond wrote:
Still, I really like this song - very timely and descriptive of the current situation in the world...
Running pell-mell and harum-scarum
Running as hot as they do or dare
Stick out your tongue
And drink down all the venom
From Cut-Throat Cuthbert
And Millicent St. Cyr
From the real old Macau
To the new False Americas
In the liberated territories
Unusual suspects shake down, shake down,
shake down various dubious characters
Mother’s in the kitchen picking bones for breakfast
Boiling them down by the bushel and the score
Pull out your thumb and count what’s left of your fist
There’s a wolf at the window with ravening maw
Did you find how to lie?
Did you find out just how to cheat?
The elite bleat, their obsolete
But are your prospects?
Exact, perfect object
Now, if you’d only genuflect
They’re running wild
Just like some childish tantrum
Meanwhile we’re working every day
Paying off the National Ransom
Woe betide all this hocus-pocus
They’re running us ragged at their first attempt
Around the time the killing stopped on Wall St.
You couldn’t hold me, baby with anything but contempt
Letters peal slowly from our speech
The claxton attempts to preach
Stretching for stars still out of reach
Drowning
Flailing
Outside someone’s wailing
They’re running wild
Just like some childish tantrum
Meanwhile we’re working every day
Paying off the National Ransom
Some pretty scathing lyrics here. And a couple of grievous spelling errors (the trouble with lyric websites is that they generally don't verify the spelling.) It should be "The elite bleat; they're obsolete." And "Letters peel slowly from our speech..." Running as hot as they do or dare
Stick out your tongue
And drink down all the venom
From Cut-Throat Cuthbert
And Millicent St. Cyr
From the real old Macau
To the new False Americas
In the liberated territories
Unusual suspects shake down, shake down,
shake down various dubious characters
Mother’s in the kitchen picking bones for breakfast
Boiling them down by the bushel and the score
Pull out your thumb and count what’s left of your fist
There’s a wolf at the window with ravening maw
Did you find how to lie?
Did you find out just how to cheat?
The elite bleat, their obsolete
But are your prospects?
Exact, perfect object
Now, if you’d only genuflect
They’re running wild
Just like some childish tantrum
Meanwhile we’re working every day
Paying off the National Ransom
Woe betide all this hocus-pocus
They’re running us ragged at their first attempt
Around the time the killing stopped on Wall St.
You couldn’t hold me, baby with anything but contempt
Letters peal slowly from our speech
The claxton attempts to preach
Stretching for stars still out of reach
Drowning
Flailing
Outside someone’s wailing
They’re running wild
Just like some childish tantrum
Meanwhile we’re working every day
Paying off the National Ransom
Still, I really like this song - very timely and descriptive of the current situation in the world...
Running pell-mell and harum-scarum
Running as hot as they do or dare
Stick out your tongue
And drink down all the venom
From Cut-Throat Cuthbert
And Millicent St. Cyr
From the real old Macau
To the new False Americas
In the liberated territories
Unusual suspects shake down, shake down,
shake down various dubious characters
Mother’s in the kitchen picking bones for breakfast
Boiling them down by the bushel and the score
Pull out your thumb and count what’s left of your fist
There’s a wolf at the window with ravening maw
Did you find how to lie?
Did you find out just how to cheat?
The elite bleat, their obsolete
But are your prospects?
Exact, perfect object
Now, if you’d only genuflect
They’re running wild
Just like some childish tantrum
Meanwhile we’re working every day
Paying off the National Ransom
Woe betide all this hocus-pocus
They’re running us ragged at their first attempt
Around the time the killing stopped on Wall St.
You couldn’t hold me, baby with anything but contempt
Letters peal slowly from our speech
The claxton attempts to preach
Stretching for stars still out of reach
Drowning
Flailing
Outside someone’s wailing
They’re running wild
Just like some childish tantrum
Meanwhile we’re working every day
Paying off the National Ransom
Running as hot as they do or dare
Stick out your tongue
And drink down all the venom
From Cut-Throat Cuthbert
And Millicent St. Cyr
From the real old Macau
To the new False Americas
In the liberated territories
Unusual suspects shake down, shake down,
shake down various dubious characters
Mother’s in the kitchen picking bones for breakfast
Boiling them down by the bushel and the score
Pull out your thumb and count what’s left of your fist
There’s a wolf at the window with ravening maw
Did you find how to lie?
Did you find out just how to cheat?
The elite bleat, their obsolete
But are your prospects?
Exact, perfect object
Now, if you’d only genuflect
They’re running wild
Just like some childish tantrum
Meanwhile we’re working every day
Paying off the National Ransom
Woe betide all this hocus-pocus
They’re running us ragged at their first attempt
Around the time the killing stopped on Wall St.
You couldn’t hold me, baby with anything but contempt
Letters peal slowly from our speech
The claxton attempts to preach
Stretching for stars still out of reach
Drowning
Flailing
Outside someone’s wailing
They’re running wild
Just like some childish tantrum
Meanwhile we’re working every day
Paying off the National Ransom
uh-uh
jtdiver wrote:
True, but going by this and another track from the latest album he's lost his 'mojo'. This is not the Declan McManus of the 80s, right enough.
Kudos to Elvis for rocking into his late 60s.
True, but going by this and another track from the latest album he's lost his 'mojo'. This is not the Declan McManus of the 80s, right enough.
guacala!!!! 
Kudos to Elvis for rocking into his late 60s.
Sounds like Elvis is going back to his roots.
Like!
HEY I"M THE FIRST ONE TO POST ON A SONG! Catchy and uplifting. Reminds me of Tom Petty. I like it.
Love that cover art.